Stretching in a vast arc from Sumatra eastwards to western New Guinea, the islands of Indonesia are home to a rich diversity of cultures and artistic traditions many of which remain little known in the West. While the vast majority of the population today is Islamic, Indonesia also has numerous indigenous cultures who practice, or practiced, art forms and religions devoted to a myriad of local supernatural beings including deities, ancestors, spirits, and fantastic supernatural creatures. The enduring powers of these beings are embodied and expressed by indigenous artists in many ways from intricately detailed carvings of human and animal forms to massive natural stones erected as megaliths. Featuring images of works from across the archipelago, including the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Flores, and Sumba, shown in their original settings, the lecture will explore the cultural origins and meanings of the unique forms and imagery of Indonesia’s diverse indigenous sculptural traditions.
Eric Kjellgren is the Evelyn A. J. Hall & John A. Friede Associate Curator for Oceanic Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Please note: All lecture dates and times are subject to change.
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